Hybrid tool assembly for pipeline descaling

Abstract

Devices and methods for descaling a pipeline utilizing a hybrid tool assembly are provided. The hybrid tool assembly includes an assembly head body which includes a bottom surface connected to the circumferential surface. The bottom surface defines an acid jetting opening, a water jetting opening, a gas purge opening and a laser opening. An acid jetting subassembly is fluidically coupled to the acid jetting opening and configured to jet acid onto the scales. A water jetting subassembly is fluidically coupled to the water jetting opening and configured to jet water. A gas purge subassembly is fluidically coupled to the gas purge opening and configured to purge gas. A laser subassembly is functionally coupled to the laser opening and configured to generate a laser beam. The gas purge subassembly is configured to operate together with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly or the laser subassembly.

1 . A hybrid tool assembly to descale a pipeline, the hybrid tool assembly comprising:
 an assembly head body comprising a bottom surface defining an acid jetting opening, a water jetting opening, a gas purge opening and a laser opening;   an acid jetting subassembly fluidically coupled to the acid jetting opening and configured to jet acid out of the assembly head body through the acid jetting opening onto scales accumulated on an inner surface of the pipeline;   a water jetting subassembly fluidically coupled to the water jetting opening and configured to jet water out of the assembly head body through the water jetting opening onto the scales;   a gas purge subassembly fluidically coupled to the gas purge opening and configured to purge gas out of the assembly head body through the gas purge opening; and   a laser subassembly functionally coupled to the laser opening and configured to generate a laser beam passing through the laser opening onto the scales,   wherein the gas purge subassembly is configured to operate together with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly or the laser subassembly to descale the pipeline.   
     
     
         2 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein at least two of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly, the gas purge subassembly or the laser subassembly are configured to operate simultaneously. 
     
     
         3 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the gas purge subassembly is configured to operate simultaneously with the laser subassembly. 
     
     
         4 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the acid jetting subassembly is configured to operate simultaneously with the water jetting subassembly. 
     
     
         5 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a rotator subassembly configured to rotate the assembly head body. 
     
     
         6 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 5 , wherein the rotator subassembly is configured to operate simultaneously with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly, the gas purge subassembly, or the laser subassembly. 
     
     
         7 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the assembly head body defines a plurality of acid jetting openings, the plurality of acid jetting openings comprising the acid jetting opening, the plurality of acid jetting openings being arranged with a wavy or linear pattern on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         8 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 7 , wherein the plurality of acid jetting openings comprises an edge acid jetting opening adjacent an edge of the bottom surface, and the water jetting opening is positioned between the edge of the bottom surface and the edge acid jetting opening. 
     
     
         9 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the assembly head body defines a plurality of water jetting openings, the plurality of water jetting openings comprising the water jetting opening, the plurality of water jetting openings being arranged with a wavy or linear pattern on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         10 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the laser opening has an elongated shape. 
     
     
         11 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the gas comprises pressurized nitrogen or air. 
     
     
         12 . A hybrid tool assembly to descale a pipeline, the hybrid tool assembly comprising:
 an assembly head body comprising a bottom surface defining an acid jetting opening, a water jetting opening, a gas purge opening and a laser opening;   an acid jetting subassembly fluidically coupled to the acid jetting opening and configured to jet acid out of the assembly head body through the acid jetting opening onto scales accumulated on an inner surface of the pipeline;   a water jetting subassembly fluidically coupled to the water jetting opening and configured to jet water out of the assembly head body through the water jetting opening onto the scales;   a gas purge subassembly fluidically coupled to the gas purge opening and configured to purge gas out of the assembly head body through the gas purge opening;   a laser subassembly functionally coupled to the laser opening and configured to generate a laser beam passing through the laser opening onto the scales; and   a rotator subassembly configured to rotate the assembly head body along an axial direction.   
     
     
         13 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the gas purge subassembly is configured to operate simultaneously with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly or the laser subassembly. 
     
     
         14 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the gas purge subassembly is configured to operate sequentially with the laser subassembly. 
     
     
         15 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 12 , wherein the bottom surface of the assembly head body defines a plurality of acid jetting openings, the plurality of acid jetting openings comprising the acid jetting opening, the plurality of acid jetting openings being arranged with a wavy or linear pattern along a first direction on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         16 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 15 , wherein the bottom surface of the assembly head body defines a plurality of water jetting openings, the plurality of water jetting openings comprising the water jetting opening, the plurality of water jetting openings being arranged with a wavy or linear pattern along a second direction on the bottom surface. 
     
     
         17 . The hybrid tool assembly of  claim 16 , wherein the second direction intersects with the first direction. 
     
     
         18 . A method to descale a pipeline, the method comprising:
 forming a hybrid tool assembly comprising an assembly head body, an acid jetting subassembly, a water jetting subassembly, a gas purge subassembly, a laser subassembly and a rotator subassembly, the assembly head body comprising a bottom surface defining an acid jetting opening, a water jetting opening, a gas purge opening and a laser opening, the acid jetting subassembly configured to jet acid out of the assembly head body through the acid jetting opening, the water jetting subassembly configured to jet water out of the assembly head body through the water jetting opening, the gas purge subassembly configured to purge gas out of the assembly head body through the gas purge opening, the laser subassembly configured to generate a laser beam passing through the laser opening, the rotator subassembly configured to rotate the assembly head body;   positioning the assembly head body inside the pipeline; and   operating the gas purge subassembly together with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly, the laser subassembly, or the rotator subassembly to descale the pipeline.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein operating the gas purge subassembly together with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly, the laser subassembly, or the rotator subassembly to descale the pipeline comprises:
 operating the gas purge subassembly and the laser subassembly simultaneously or sequentially.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein operating the gas purge subassembly together with at least one of the acid jetting subassembly, the water jetting subassembly, the laser subassembly, or the rotator subassembly to descale the pipeline comprises:
 operating the water jetting subassembly and the acid jetting subassembly simultaneously.